Animated toy



March 25, 1958 H. cs. GRIMM, JR

ANIMATED TOY Filed Feb. 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Henry 6 G r/mm, Jr; INVENTOR.

March 25, 1958 I JR 2,827,735

ANIMATED TOY Filed Feb. 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3

32 28 44 {I I i Henfy 6. Grimm, Jr. g 6 INVENTOR.

United States 2,827,735, Patented Mar. 25, 1958 ice ANEMATED TGY Henry G. Grimm, 3n, iadison, Wis.

Appiication February 8, 1956, erial No. 564,285

4 Claims. (Cl. 4615i This invention generally relates to a toy and more specifically provides an animated toy which is motivated by a wound spring motor.

An object of the present invention is to provide an animated toy in the form of an insect or the like having six ground or surface engaging legs together with means for operating the legs for moving the toy in a forward or reverse direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an animated toy having a novel arrangement of moving legs wherein a plurality of legs are disposed on each side and when the toy is being driven, a majority of the legs on one side and a minority of the legs on the other side are moving in one direction while the other legs are moving in another direction for propelling the toy.

Other objects of the present invention will reside in its simplicity of construction, ease of operation, plurality of moving parts disposed externally of the body shell, adaptation for its particular purposes and its relatively inexpensive manufacturing cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective View of, the animated toy of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 2--2 of Figure 1 illustrating the details of construction of the drive mechanism;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the frame or platform with the driving mechanism attached thereto;

Figure 4 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of Figure 1 illustrating furt er details of the shifting mechanism for reversing the movement of the toy;

Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view illustrating the attachment of the inner ends of the legs to the crank arms or rods;

Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view similar to Figure 5 illustrating the members in assembled position; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the connecting rods or arms.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 16 generally designates the animated toy of the present invention including a generally horizontally disposed platform or frame 12 which is substantially oval in shape in configuration as illustrated in Figure 3 to which is attached a hollow body member 14 that is substantially U-shaped in transverse configuration and inverted with the edges thereof secured to the edges of the frame 12 by the use of bendable tabs 16. The front of the body member 14 may be provided with simulated eyes 18 wherein the toy it? will simultate an insect.

Disposed adjacent each side edge of the frame 12 is an upstanding member 29 and these upstanding membets 2!) taper inwardly and rearwardly and generally conform to the contour of the frame 12. Each of the upstanding members 29 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures 22 in the form of horizontally disposed slots each receiving a horizontal extension 24 on an inverted V-shaped leg 26 which has one end thereof designated by the numeral 26 depending below the frame 12 for supporting the same from a supporting surface in spaced relation. As will be evident in Figure 3, as well as in Figure 1, three inverted V-shaped legs 24- are provided on each side of the toy is? and each of the legs 24 has a lateral horizontally disposed portion 23 slidably and pivotally disposed in the slots 22 in the upstanding member 29 wherein the legs may swing back and forth and up and down in accordance with a driving mechanism described hereinafter.

A pair of identical connecting rods or arms 28 are mounted on the frame 12 with one end thereof being slidably and pivotally received in transversely spaced apertures 36 in an upstanding lug 32 adjacent the rear of the frame 12. Adjacent the front of the frame 12 is a pair of upstanding bearing lugs 34 rotatably supporting a crankshaft 36 having a pair of oppositely disposed cranks 38 thereon and each of the connecting rods 28 is provided with a loop 4% at the forward end thereof for attachment to oppositely disposed cranks 38 on the crankshaft 36 wherein rotation of the crankshaft 36 will move the connecting rods or arms 23 in a manner well known wherein the loop end 42 will rotate with the cranks 38 while the free ends of the arms 23 will slide in pivot in the apertures 3% in the lug 32.

Each of the connecting rods or arms 28 is identical and includes a notched portion 42 in one side edge thereof and a lateral U-shaped extension 44 on the other side thereof. One of the connecting rods 28 is inverted in relation to the other wherein the U-shaped member is inverted while the other of the rods 28 has a U-shaped extension 44 facing upwardly with the bight portion of the U-shaped extension 4-4 in each bridging the adjacent connecting rod 28 at its recessed portion 42 substantially as illustrated in Figure 3. It will be noted that an aperture 56 is provided at each end of the recessed portion 42 and also on the end of the leg of the U-shaped member or extension 44.

As illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, each horizontal extension 23 on each of the legs 24 is provided with a depending tab 48 having a laterally extending end portion 5%) wherein the horizontal extension 23 may be tilted slightly and inserted in one of the apertures 46 after which the lateral extension 50 will retain the hori-' zontal extension 23 connected to one of the connecting rods 23 for both pivotal and limited rocking movement since the diameter of the aperture 46 is slightly larger than the width of the depending tab 48.

When the crankshaft 36 is rotated, the movement of the connecting arms 28 will be directly opposed to each other regardless of the direction of rotation of the crankshaft 36. The connecting rods 28 are provided with two legs 24 extending from the adjacent side of the frame and another leg 24 which is connected to the U-shaped member 44 extending from the opposite side of the frame i2 wherein the forward and rear leg on one side and the center .leg on the other .side is moving in one direction while the two legs on the other side and the center leg on the one side are moving in the opposite direction for moving the toy. It will be noted that the movement of the connecting r0ds28 also includes swinging movement in a vertical plane whereby the surface engaging ends 26 of the legs 24 will move vertically for permitting step-by-step motion of the body member 14 and the frame 12 in either longitudinal direction since the legs 24 having-the @free ends 26 movedownwardly'will support the toy'ltl while theiother' legs are moving forwardly in lifted position for the next step. -It will be note d that the body :member '14 is provided with a notched recess portion 52 for permitting swinging and oscillatory movement of the horizontal portions 23 of each leg 24.

For driving the crankshaft 36 in either direction, a gear '5 4 is provided on each end thereof wherein selective rotation of these gears will cause rotation of the crank'shaftin selective directions.

Forrotating the gears 54, a pivotally mounted gear carrier 56 is supported from depending pivot'lugs 53 in the top-of the body member 14. Mounted on a vertical shaft-6i isa horizontally disposed plate 62 having depending peripheral gear teeth 64 which will engage either of the gears 54 When the gear carrier 56 is tilted about the longitudinal axis formed by supporting pins 66. Also secured to the shaft 6i is a pinion gear 67 in meshing engagement with a large drive gear 63 which is driven by a spring mechanism 70 mounted on a vertical shaft 72 'which also supports the drive gear 68 in the gear carrier 56. The upper end of the vertical shaft 72 is provided with a polygonal extension 74 for receiving a winding key 76 wherein the spring 70 may be tensioned or wound in a manner will known for driving the drive gear 68 thereby rotating thepinion 56 and driving the plate gear .62.

For tilting the gear carrier 56 about a longitudinal axis, a pair of simulated feelers 76 are provided with each feeler having a cam 78 on the lower end which are disposed in angularly spaced relation for engagement with the top of the gear carrier 56 when the feelers 76 are in different angular position whereby forward movement of the feelers 76 'will engage the cam 78 with the gear carrier 56 for urging the gear carrier 56 about its longitudinal axis for bringing the gear 62 in engagement 7 V with one of the gears 54 for moving the toy forwardly while reverse movement of the feelers 76 will cause the gear carrier 56 to tilt to the other side thereby driving the toy v10 in a reverse direction.

Accordingly, it will 'be seen that a relatively simple reversing mechanism is employed for driving the legs wherein the legs actually simulate the action of an insect for stepsby-step motivation.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

' What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. -A toy comprising a generally horizontally disposed frame, a plurality of legs on each side of said frame with one end of the legs depending below the frame for engaging a supporting surface thereby supporting the frame in spaced relation to the supporting surface, a pair of elongated rods mounted on said frame, one end of each rod being slidably connected to said frame, a crankshaft having oppositely offset cranks connected to the other ends of said rods, said rods being disposed in side-by-siderrelation, means for rotating said crankshaft, the other, end of sai'd legs being attached to said rods therebymovingsaid frame whenthe crankshaft is ro- 2,827,735 V V a 1 5 tated, each edge of said frame including an upstanding member having longitudinally spaced apertures, the other end of each leg having a horizontally disposed portion slidably and pivotally received in said spaced apertures, the inner end of each horizontal portion being pivotally attached to said rods for movement whereby the one end of each leg will move in a horizontal and vertical direction, at least one of said legs on one side of the frame terminally pivotally attached to the rod remote therefrom for moving both sides of the frame simultaneously, each of said rods having a V-shaped lateral extension for attachment to the leg on the remote side of the frame.

2. A toy comprising a mobile frame, a crankshaft having diametrically opposed offset cranks rotatably mounted'on said frame, a pair ofarms connected to said cranks and extending in side by side relation, said arms having the free ends thereof slidably and pivotally mounted on said frame, means for rotating said crank- V shaft in selective rotational directions, and a plurality.

of legs swivelly connected to each arm and swivelly and slidably attached to said frame, said legs depending below the frame for engagement with a supporting surface, each of said arms havinga transverse extension for engaging a leg on the opposite side of the. frame whereby at least one leg on each side of the frame is moving downwardly and rearwardly simultaneously with the upward and forward movement of at least one leg on each side of the framethereby propelling said toy in a longitudinal direction, said crankshaft rotating means including a spring wound motor having a driving gear, said crankshaft having a gear rigidly mounted on each end thereof, and means for selectively engaging diametrically opposed edges of the driving gear with the gears on the crankshaft thereby rotating the crankshaft in selective directions.

3. A toy comprising a mobile frame, a crankshaft having diametrically opposed offset cranks rotatably mounted on said frame, a pair of armsconnected to said cranks and extending in side by side relation, said arms having the free ends thereof slidably and pivotally mounted on said frame, means for rotating said crankshaft in selective rotational directions, and a plurality of legs swivelly connected to each arm and swivelly and slidably attached to said frame, said legs depending below the frame for engagement with a supporting surface, each of said arms havinga transverse extension for engaging a leg on the opposite side of the frame whereby at least one leg on each side of the frame is moving downwardly and rearwardly simultaneously with the upward and forward movement of at least one leg on each side of the frame thereby propelling said toy, saidcrankshaft rotating means including a spring'wound motor having a driving gear, said crankshaft having .a gear rigidly mounted "on each end thereof, and means for selectively engaging diametrically opposed edges of the driving gear with the gears on the crankshaft thereby rotating the crankshaft in selective directions, said motor and driving gear being mounted on a sub-frame pivotally supported from said frame for movement about its longitudinal axis, and a shift lever having a pair of cams mounted thereon disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the sub-frame thereby tilting the subframe for engaging the driving gear with a selective gear on the crankshaft.

'4. An animated toy simulating a six legged insect comprising a mobile frame having a spring motor disposed thereon, a crankshaft driven by said motor, a plurality of legs swivelly attached to each side of said frame and extendingdownwardly therefrom, linkage interconnecting said crankshaft and legs for simultaneous movement of a plurality of legs on one side of the frame and asingle leg on the other side of the frame in one direction of movement and simultaneous movement of a single leg on said oneg'side of the frame and a plurality of legs on the other side of the frame in an opposite direction of movement for propelling said frame, said linkage including a pair of longitudinally extending connecting rods connected at one end to said crankshaft, the other end of said rods being slidably and pivotally supported on the frame, and a lateral extension on each rod crossing over the adjacent rod for swivel attachment to the single leg for operation thereof with the plurality of legs in simultaneous relation.

89,231 Merritt Apr. 20, 1869 6 Pombas Sept. 17, 1889 Carlson Oct. 11, 1892 Hoeft Feb. 27, 1894 Adam Apr. 23, 1895 Whiting Dec. 18, 1900 Kuen Apr. 2, 1929 Marx Aug. 24, 1937 Swenson Sept. 12, 1939 Crowder May 24, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS France Apr. 18, 1912 Great Britain Oct. 4, 1937 

